BACKGROUND: To date, conditions for successfully implementing and maintaining multi-level interventions and policies for the promotion of a balanced diet and physical activity are not well understood from the perspective of stakeholders. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to examine which factors are regarded as facilitating or impeding introduction, implementation and maintenance of multi-level interventions and policies from the standpoint of stakeholders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semi-structured face-to-face interviews with stakeholders of one multi-level intervention (Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health EFfects In Children and infantS [IDEFICS] for the prevention of childhood obesity, n = 4) and one policy (Federal state offices coordinating networks for the provision of healthy food options in schools, n = 3) were analysed using qualitative content analysis...

PURPOSE: To explore factors affecting skipping breakfast rate, and to identify its perceived reasons among preadolescent students and their mothers in Jordan. DESIGN AND METHODS: Using cluster stratified sampling, preadolescent (10-11years) students (N=1915) and their mothers (N=1299) from 26 public and private schools completed a self-reported questionnaire. Breakfast skipping and its related habits were described. Children's and mothers' perceptions of regular breakfast eating and sociodemographic factors were analyzed in relation to breakfast skipping in children...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Obesity has become a global epidemic. In China, 42% of adults and about onefifth of children are overweight or obese. In major cities, about one-third of boys are overweight or obese. This study aimed to understand how children and parents in China make eating and physical activity (PA) decisions, considering individual, family, community, social, and environmental factors, and to collect parents' recommendations for interventions to promote healthy eating and physical activity...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to examine knowledge and attitude as facilitators and barriers to the acceptance of HPV vaccination for adolescent girls by mothers and adolescent girls. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey conducted in Hong Kong in January 2010. Adolescent girls aged 12-18, together with their mothers, were recruited to complete two separate questionnaires with similar questions. RESULTS: A total of 170 mother-adolescent girl dyads were recruited...

Pipeline programs address health disparities by promoting academic achievement and entry of low-income ethnic and racial minority youth into healthcare fields. The Health Career Academy (HCA) is a 3-year pipeline program for high school students from low-income, ethnic, and racial minority communities. Health professional students serve as program mentors. The HCA has been implemented in nine US sites, with partnerships between 17 health professional schools and 17 high schools. A total of 386 10th grade students and 95 11th grade students enrolled as participants in the 2015-2016 HCA program...

BACKGROUND: Education and policy measures within schools are valuable strategies to promote health. This study explored views of experienced food-related educators, researchers and policy-makers regarding their recommended strategies to improve Australian adolescents' knowledge of nutrition and food systems (N&FS). METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-one experienced food-related experts from across Australia. Interviews were conducted either by telephone or face-to-face...

Introduction During recent years, special attention has been given to spiritual well-being and religious practice in the field of health. This study aimed to determine the predictors of life satisfaction among adolescent girls in Tabriz, Iran, 2015. Materials and methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 520 female students studying in high schools who were selected using the cluster sampling method. Data collection was carried out through the questionnaires of socio-demographic characteristics, spiritual well-being (SWBS), religious practice (Arcury and colleagues) and life satisfaction (SWLS)...

Scottish children are reported to be among the least active in the world, additionally Scotland has previously been labelled "the sick man of Europe" on account of its poor health record. In response, the Scottish Government has implemented a range of policies with a strong focus on increasing physical activity (PA), Physical Education (PE) and the integration of health and wellbeing (HWB) with the aim of promoting and sustaining PA throughout life. To date, limited qualitative research exploring pupil perspective of PE lessons and HWB exists...

Children in homeless families have high levels of adversity and are at risk for behavior problems and chronic health conditions, however little is known about the relationship between cognitive-emotional self-regulation and health among school-aged homeless children. Children (n = 86; mean age 10.5) living in shelters were assessed for health, family stress/adversity, emotional-behavioral regulation, nonverbal intellectual abilities, and executive function. Vision problems were the most prevalent health condition, followed by chronic respiratory conditions...

BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder associated with neurocutaneus manifestations, as well as attention and learning problems. The aim of this study was to examine the psychosocial functioning, quality of life, and self-image of children with NF1. METHOD: Two hundred forty participants were recruited, comprising 60 children and adolescents with NF1, 60 parents of children with NF1, 60 children and adolescents without NF1, and 60 parents of children without NF1...

BACKGROUND: Multi-level, longer-term obesity prevention interventions that focus on inequalities are scarce. Fun 'n healthy in Moreland! aimed to improve child adiposity, school policies and environments, parent engagement, health behaviours and child wellbeing. METHODS: All children from primary schools in an inner urban, culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged area in Victoria, Australia were eligible for participation. The intervention, fun 'n healthy in Moreland!, used a Health Promoting Schools Framework and provided schools with evidence, school research data and part time support from a Community Development Worker to develop health promoting strategies...

High-quality early education and child care for young children improves physical and cognitive outcomes for the children and can result in enhanced school readiness. Preschool education can be viewed as an investment (especially for at-risk children), and studies show a positive return on that investment. Barriers to high-quality early childhood education include inadequate funding and staff education as well as variable regulation and enforcement. Steps that have been taken to improve the quality of early education and child care include creating multidisciplinary, evidence-based child care practice standards; establishing state quality rating and improvement systems; improving federal and state regulations; providing child care health consultation; as well as initiating other innovative partnerships...

BACKGROUND: Children's positive socialisation to alcohol is associated with early initiation of drinking and alcohol-related harm in adult life. Internationally, there have been reports of adults' alcohol consumption at school events in the presence of children. The aim of this research was to identify the conditions under which Australian schools are required to apply for a liquor licence and the associated prevalence of liquor licences for these events where children were likely to be present...

INTRODUCTION: Running-related injuries (RRIs) are frequent and can lead to cessation of health promoting activities. Several risk factors for RRIs have been identified. However, no successful injury prevention programme has been developed so far. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of an evidence-based online injury prevention programme on the number of RRIs. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The INSPIRE trial is a randomised-controlled trial with a 3-month follow-up...

BACKGROUND: Youth substance use programming and educational strategies are frequently informed by prevention approaches that emphasize abstinence goals, which often do not resonate with youth in their lack of acknowledgment of young people's social context and how young people perceive positive effects of substance use. Further, approaches to drug prevention have been critiqued as adopting a one-size-fits-all approach and therefore inadequate in addressing substance use in the context of population variation and inequities...

BACKGROUND: There is no consensus regarding the optimal content of the undergraduate psychiatry curriculum as well as factors contributing to young doctors choosing a career in psychiatry. Our aim was to explore factors which had influenced psychiatry trainees' attitudes towards mental health and career choice. METHOD: Qualitative in-depth interviews with 21 purposively sampled London psychiatry trainees analysed using the Framework method. RESULTS: Early exposure and sufficient time in undergraduate psychiatry placements were important in influencing psychiatry as a career choice and positive role models were often very influential...

INTRODUCTION: The lifestyle behaviours of early adolescents, including diet, physical activity, sleep, and screen usage, are well established contributors to health. These behaviours have also been shown to be associated with academic achievement. Poor academic achievement can additionally contribute to poorer health over the lifespan. This study aims to characterize the associations between health behaviours and self-reported academic achievement. METHODS: Data from the 2014 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study (n = 28,608, ages 11-15) were analyzed...

Answer questions and earn CME/CNE A measles outbreak originating in California during 2014 and 2015 called attention to the potential for infectious disease outbreaks related to underimmunized populations in the United States and the potential risk to pediatric patients with cancer attending school when such outbreaks occur. Compliance with vaccine recommendations is important for the prevention of hepatitis B-related and human papillomavirus-related cancers and for protecting immunocompromised patients with cancer, and these points are often overlooked, resulting in the continued occurrence of vaccine-preventable neoplastic and infectious diseases and complications...

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the extent to which young people are acting as 'agents of change' in discouraging smoking among their peers. METHODS: This study used data from a survey of 2,919 New Zealand secondary school students who participated in the 2014 national Youth In-depth Survey. Relevant questions were used to assess the extent to which students engaged in behaviours to discourage or promote smoking among their peers. RESULTS: About half of all students reported some form of behaviour discouraging others from smoking, while only one in ten reported encouraging smoking...